The Gathering

"Hey guys!" Spottedpaw gasped, running into the apprentice den. "Guess what?"

"What?" Silverpaw and Cinderpaw asked together.

"Firestar's going to select six apprentices to go with to the Gathering! Oh, I hope it's me!"

"I doubt it," Mousepaw snorted. "You're just a new apprentice. Recent apprentices don't go to a gathering until at least a moon or two."

"Well, I know I'm going!" Crescentpaw meowed proudly. "After all, yet again I impressed my mentor with my amazing hunting skills."

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes at his new rival and growled, "Don't push your luck, mouse brain. If anyone's a good hunter here, it's me."

"Can we please not fight?" Littlepaw mewed softly.

"Whoever Firestar chooses is chosen," Hollypaw mewed. "And that's that. In the warrior code, it says—"

"Oh no!" Firepaw interrupted. "Not another one of your preaches about the warrior code! I've got enough from you as it is. I don't need more."

"Obeying the warrior code is the most important thing," Hollypaw snapped.

"Guys," Littlepaw mewed, too softly to be heard.

"Well my motto is 'Stick to the heart and not the stars.' If it was about helping a cat in need, I'd jump to the spot."

"Even an enemy cat?" Honeypaw asked in awe.

Firepaw nodded firmly. "Even if that cat was Tigerstar. Always help a cat in need, no matter what. That's the only rule I live by."

"No wonder you just waltz in and steal something from the medicine cat den," Hollypaw hissed. "You're nothing but a free rider, going by their own rules—"

"I go by what's right!" Firepaw hissed back.

"Yeah, she doesn't need you busying her around, Hollypaw!" Galepaw snapped.

Firepaw glanced briefly at Galepaw, then looked away quickly when he looked at her.

Firestar yowled from Highrock, signaling all cats to come.

All the apprentices filed out; Mousepaw, Hazelpaw, Berrypaw, Cinderpaw, Honeypaw, Poppypaw, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, Jaypaw, Silverpaw, Galepaw, Crescentpaw, Littlepaw, Spottedpaw, and Firepaw.

Firestar began to organize the group for the Gathering.

Then he got to the apprentices. "For my six lucky apprentices, I want Mousepaw, Crescentpaw, Hollypaw, Littlepaw, Spottedpaw, and Firepaw."

Crescentpaw smirked at Lionpaw. "Told you. It seems Firestar believes I'm the best."

"We'll see," Lionpaw growled, flexing his claws.

"Oh, you're so lucky, Spottedpaw!" Silverpaw mewed. "I wished I was picked!"

"Well, when you're lucky, you're lucky," Spottedpaw meowed back.

Galepaw glanced at Firepaw's direction. She was indeed lucky, but not just for being picked, he thought.

Firepaw's heart skipped a beat. She was chosen? Why her? Why all her siblings for that matter?

Leafpool padded over and purred, "Are you kits excited for the Gathering?"

"I sure am!" mewed Spottedpaw, prancing around in circles. "We get to see some of the famous warriors! Like Onestar, Mistyfoot, Littlecloud . . ."

Littlepaw shifted uncomfortably from paw to paw. "Um, why doesn't Jaypaw go too? He's the medicine cat apprentice after all . . ."

"What Firestar said is the code," Hollypaw interrupted. "Besides, Jaypaw can handle himself."

"Yes," Jaypaw reasoned. "I can." Even though he had difficult time liking other cats, Littlepaw was the only one that . . . understood him. And didn't judge him for his blindness. Even though he was a little shy and cautious.

Firestar yowled for the other cats to join.

Firepaw scampered into the line of cats, noticing the proud atmosphere around Leafpool. No one but Firestar, Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, and the kits themselves that Leafpool was their real mother.

Being a medicine cat involved not having a mate. Bu`t sadly, Leafpool disobeyed and mated with another cat. Another cat from another clan to boot.

Although Firestar forgave Leafpool, he made it clear that once Jaypaw has passed most of his training, Leafpool must step down from her role as medicine cat.

Firestar stopped at the edge of the great tree that was rumored to have landed on WindClan's former deputy and killed him.

A shiver of excitement and fear rushed over Firepaw. She was both nervous and thrilled at the sounds of many cats from the other side of the tree. This was it.

Firestar gestured with his tail, and the rest of the group followed him over the log.

Littlepaw crept slowly over the fallen log, his black fur trembling with every step.

Spottedpaw cautiously padded over, whiles Crescentpaw just waltzed right over, holding his head high.

From another cat's point of view:

Crowfeather padded over to his mother, Ashfoot. Ashfoot was the only cat in the entire WindClan that knew what Crowfeather had done. And she had kept it a secret for all of these moons.

"Where's ThunderClan?" Crowfeather hissed, his fur sticking up.

"They'll be here," Ashfoot sighed, whipping her tail dismissively. "Trust me."

Crowfeather looked briefly over his shoulder to see Nightcloud and Breezepaw watching him carefully. He forced himself to pad casually over, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

Then he saw a flaming pelt, and stopped. Firestar and his deputy Brambleclaw padded over to the center of the island, followed by the clan cats.

Then Crowfeather saw four new kits padding close to Leafpool.

Her kits. His kits. He quickly took note of each of their appearances.

One kit was a pale brown she-cat with amber eyes and dark flecks in her fur.

Another kit, with his head held high, was a dark gray tabby tom with green eyes and a white muzzle and chest.

The third kit, being the one who was creeping around behind the others, was a small black tom with amber eyes and a white tipped tail.

The final one was a spitting image of Firstar. She had energetic blue eyes, and a flaming ginger pelt.

Crowfeather padded faster, his eagerness visible in his eyes.

"Leafpool," he said politely, dipping his head.

Leafpool copied him, and once the greeting was complete, Crowfeather murmured into Leafpool's ear, "Are these our kits?"

Leafpool's amber eyes glue with a passion of love and pride.

She flickered her tail towards the four kits near her. "They are. The one with brown fur is Spottedpaw."

"Because of her fur," Crowfeather commented.

Leafpool continued, "The one who is a spitting image of you is Crescentpaw."

"Because of his moon shaped spot on his chest," Crowfeather added.

"The small apprentice is called Littlepaw."

"Because of his size."

"And the spitting image of Firestar is Firepaw."

"Because she looks just like Firestar," Crowfeather finished.

Leafpool purred in delight.

Firepaw bonded up to Crowfeather, whipping her tail happily side to side and purring. "Are you my father?"

Crowfeather didn't answer, but nuzzled his kit with his nose. Firepaw purred louder.

Leafpool nudged the kits away, and she turned to Crowfeather. "You know we cannot tell anyone."

"Especially Nightcloud and Breezepaw," Crowfeather hissed, gesturing his tail toward the two black cats in the background.

Leafpool brushed Crowfeather's pelt, and padded off to where the other medicine cats waited. Their kits scampered off, finding other apprentices to chat with, but Firepaw. She remained, looking up longingly at her father. "Why not?" she mewed.

Crowfeather turned, his heart aching. "Because, Clans are not meant to mate."

Firepaw's ears lowered, but she felt a pelt brush by her. Firestar hovered over her, his whiskers twitching sadly. "It's hard, isn't it?" he mewed.

Firepaw nodded, sniffing. Firestar nudged the little kit along, toward where her siblings were. Then he bond to the tree and clompered up to meet with the other leaders.

Blackstar's ears twitched, and he yowled to the Clans, "Cats of all Clans! At attention. Theirs is grave news from ShadowClan that must be presented."

He turned to the other leaders. Each nodded in turn, granting permission to speak. Blackstar rose to his paws, his head high. "Recently, we have been noticing some strange activity from the Twoleg nest we live near. At first, we thought of it as nothing, but now, what with strange liquid being through into our streams, we have rose to great concern."

"I've tried everything I could to help the sick warriors and kits," reported Littlecloud. "The substance is unknown to my level of healing, and StarClan has not given me a message to what it is."

Littlepaw's ears pricked up. He turned to Hollypaw, meowing, "What can we do? What if this stuff gets into ThunderClan?"

"It won't," Hollypaw reassured. "We have the best medicine cats ever. Just you wait."

I hope so, Littlepaw thought. Spottedpaw laid down and nudged Crescentpaw. "You think we should be worried?"

"It's like Hollypaw said," Mousepaw answered, padding over to them. "We're safe, as long as we drink ThunderClam water and not ShadowClan's."

"But why is this a concern to the other clans?" Leopardstar demanded.

"ShadowClan needs new water," Blackstar explained. "Ours is not safe enough to drink."

"Some days it's fine," Littlecloud mewed. "Other days it tastes funny. And still, we have sick cats left and right."

Firepaw stared out into the island. It was true, for most of ShadowClan's warriors were not there. She admitted silently that she could only recognize Littlecloud, Blackstar, and Tawnypelt, but still . . .

"ThunderClan will offer their water to ShadowClan," Firestar vouched. "We have plenty, and it is clean."

"Just make sure you clean yourselves before taking any of ours," Brambleclaw mewed.

Blackstar dipped his head to Firestar. "ShadowClan thanks you, Firestar."

Firestar blinked. "You are very welcome."